Scientist I, De Novo Discovery and Screening

Parabilis Medicines•Cambridge, MA

40d•$110,000 - $130,000

About The Position

Parabilis Medicines is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to creating extraordinary medicines for patients with serious diseases by unlocking biologically important targets long considered undruggable. The company has pioneered a new class of alpha-helical peptides – Helicons™ – capable of modulating intracellular proteins that have historically been beyond the reach of conventional medicines. The company’s lead investigational medicine, zolucatetide, is the first and only direct inhibitor of the β-catenin:TCF interaction, a central node in the Wnt/β-catenin pathway that has eluded drug developers for decades. Zolucatetide is being evaluated in the clinic across multiple Wnt/β-catenin-driven diseases, including desmoid tumors, familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and a range of other solid tumor indications. Beyond zolucatetide, Parabilis is advancing additional Helicon-based programs focused on other challenging targets where we believe our medicines could have life-altering impact. We are seeking a highly motivated Scientist to join our Hit Discovery team and contribute to the advancement our Helicon Discovery Platform through the development and application of phage display and mRNA display technologies. This role is ideal for a recent PhD graduate or early-career scientist with a strong foundation in molecular biology, protein engineering, chemical biology, or a related discipline. The successful candidate will contribute to screening campaigns against previously “undruggable” protein targets, support the development and integration of noncanonical amino acids into mRNA display platform, and help innovate and optimize display screening workflows. This is an excellent opportunity to work in a fast-paced, highly collaborative environment focused on building next-generation discovery capabilities and discovering transformative therapeutics.

Requirements

PhD in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Chemical Biology, Bioengineering, or a related field, with 0-2 years of postdoctoral and/or industry experience.
Strong foundation in molecular biology techniques, including PCR, cloning, DNA/RNA handling, and DNA library construction.
Strong biochemical and screening experience; familiarity with display technologies (phage, yeast, ribosome, or mRNA display) is plus.
Experience with high-throughput screening workflows and laboratory automation is preferred.
Familiarity with next-generation sequencing workflows and basic data analysis is desirable.
Demonstrated ability to design and execute experiments independently, troubleshoot effectively, and interpret complex datasets.
Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly present scientific data.
Collaborative mindset with a high degree of initiative, curiosity, and enthusiasm for platform innovation and drug discovery.

Responsibilities

Design, execute, and troubleshoot phage display and mRNA display high-throughput screening campaigns to discover novel binders against challenging protein targets.
Design, construct, and produce diverse phage and mRNA display libraries using standard and advanced molecular biology techniques, including PCR, cloning, and in vitro transcription/translation workflows.
Perform and optimize display selections, including library amplification, enrichment, and downstream characterization of hits.
Analyze screening outputs, including preparation of samples for sequencing and interpretation of sequencing data to guide decision-making.
Evaluate and implement new technologies, workflows, and process improvements, with a particular focus on enhancing the performance, robustness, and scalability of the mRNA display platform.
Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including data science, biochemistry, and assay development, to advance discovery programs.
Stay current with relevant literature and emerging screening technologies.